Filling element for filling bottles or like containers and filling machine comprising such filling elements

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a filling element of a filling system or a filling machine for filling bottles or like containers with a liquid filling material, said filling element comprising at least one region for dispensing the filling material, using an outlet, a return gas tube protruding into the respective container during the filling in order to control the filling level, a gap or channel formed in the filling element and at least partially surrounding the return gas tube, and at least one actuating device for adjusting the height of the return gas tube.

The invention relates to a filling element according to the preamble of claim 1 as well as to a filling machine according to the preamble of claim 10.

Filling elements and filling systems or filling machines for filling containers with a liquid filling material are known in a wide variety of different embodiments and for a wide variety of different filling methods. It is also known in particular that in order to control the filling height, i.e. for a filling-height-controlled filling of containers, filling systems or filling machines are provided with return gas tubes which protrude by one end exhibiting a return gas opening into the interior of the container to be filled, and through which, at least at the end of the particular filling phase, the return gas displaced from the container which is in a sealed position against the filling element escapes as a return gas stream in a return gas channel. The return gas stream and hence also the flow of filling material into the container is stopped when the return gas tube is immersed into the filling material surface that is rising in the container.

The particular return gas tube runs from above for example through a filling machine boiler containing the filling material, or from outside, using at least one seal, through the filling element concerned or through its housing, and projects with its lower end exhibiting the return gas opening beyond the bottom of the filling element or beyond a liquid filling material outlet located there. To allow the desired and/or necessary filling height to be set, the return gas tube concerned and/or its return gas opening are height-adjustable, i.e. can be axially displaced relative to the filling element housing, for example by an actuating device that is common to all filling elements or by a central filling height adjustment.

In the case of filling elements having return gas tubes that control the filling height, it is customary for the particular return gas tube to be surrounded over at least part of its length by a ring channel inside the filling element housing. Said ring channel serves inter alia to facilitate the height adjustment of the return gas tube concerned with minimal friction losses. In many instances however the ring channel is also used as an additional process path for special filling methods, for example as an additional process path in the so-called Trinox method for introducing a gas used in this method (Trinox gas, e.g. CO₂ or nitrogen) to displace air or oxygen.

A major disadvantage in this respect is that, because of faulty seals for example, impurities, germs or micro-organisms such as bacteria, moulds or yeasts can enter—through the ring channel surrounding the particular return gas tube—not only the liquid filling material flowing to the containers but also product lines and the filling machine boiler providing the liquid filling material, especially since the ring channel surrounding the particular return gas tube is also a preferred site for the accumulation of impurities, germs, micro-organisms such as bacteria, moulds, yeasts etc.

The object of the invention is to provide a filling element which prevents the filling material in the containers and inside the filling machine from being fouled or contaminated from the ring gap surrounding the particular return gas tube. A filling element according to patent claim 1 is configured to resolve this object. A filling machine is the subject matter of patent claim 10.

The inventive filling element provides a valve device or valve arrangement which in a first operating state of the filling element or return gas tube seals off the ring gap or ring channel surrounding the particular return gas tube, and in a second operating state of the filling element or return gas tube opens said ring gap or ring channel, in particular for the purpose of cleaning and/or sterilisation. This valve arrangement is formed preferentially by the return gas tube and a valve face interacting with this return gas tube, for example in the form of a sealing element or seal. To open and close the valve arrangement, the return gas tube can be moved by at least one actuating device having a long lift. Within the first operating state, the return gas tube can be moved preferentially for a setting of the filling height through a short lifting range; within this short lifting range the valve arrangement remains in the state in which it seals off the ring channel.

The valve arrangement and/or the valve seat or the sealing element forming this valve seat are preferentially provided at a lower end of the ring channel adjacent to the delivery region or outlet of the filling element.

Impurities, germs, micro-organisms such as bacteria, moulds, yeasts etc. which may have entered the ring channel are held back there during normal filling operations, i.e. in the first operating state of the filling element, by the closed valve arrangement. During a cleaning and/or sterilisation operation in which the filling elements of the filling machine are in the second operating state, the particular ring channel and all surfaces of the return gas tube which come or could come into contact with the filling material during the filling process are also intensively treated with the cleaning and/or sterilisation medium which is used and which flows through the opened valve arrangement, and hence are completely cleaned and sterilised so that the subsequent filling process can proceed without the filling material being contaminated by impurities, germs, micro-organisms such as bacteria, moulds, yeasts etc.

Further embodiments, advantages and possible applications of the invention arise out of the following description of embodiments and out of the figures. All of the described and/or pictorially represented attributes whether alone or in any desired combination are fundamentally the subject matter of the invention independently of their synopsis in the claims or their cross-references. The content of the claims is also made an integral part of the description.

The invention is explained in detail below through the use of an embodiment example with reference to the figures. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a filling element of a filling system of a rotary filling machine in simplified representation and in cross-section;

FIG. 2 shows the lower end of the filling element in an enlarged partial view and cross-section;

FIG. 3 shows a view similar to FIG. 2 but in a cleaning and/or sterilisation mode of the filling element.

The filling element generally indicated in the figures by 1 is part of a filling system of a rotary filling machine for filling bottles 2 or other containers with a liquid filling material. Filling element 1 and/or the filling system which exhibits this filling element is suitable for the pressurised filling or vacuum filing of bottles 2.

The filling system exhibiting filling element 1 is suitable for different filling methods in which bottles 2 are each disposed with their bottle mouth 2.1 in sealed position against filling element 1, i.e. lying with their bottle mouth 2.1 pressed by container support 4 up against a seal 5 on the underside of filling element 1, the said seal being provided on a centering tulip 6 enclosing a local outlet 7 for the liquid filling material.

Filling element 1 is suitable for example for a filling-height-controlled pressurised filling of bottles 2 that are preloaded with an inert gas, or inter alia for a filling-height-controlled vacuum filling of bottles 2.

In detail, filling element 1 comprises a housing 8, in which is inter alia configured a liquid channel 9 which exhibits outlet 7 and which is connected by a line 10 to a liquid space 11.1 of an annular boiler 11. During the filling operation, annular boiler 11 which is provided on rotor 3 and common for all filling elements 1 is partially filled with the liquid filling material and forms above the surface of the filling material a gas space 11.2 which is filled e.g. in a pressure-controlled manner with an inert gas such as CO₂ gas.

A liquid valve which is comprised of a valve body 12 on a tube-like valve stem 13 is provided in liquid channel 9. Valve body 12 interacts with a valve face of liquid channel 9 and can be moved in the filling element axis FA by an actuating device 14 via valve stem 13 between a position that opens the liquid valve and a position that closes the liquid valve.

Reference sign 15 refers to a return gas tube disposed on the same axis as filling element axis FA, forming a gas channel 15.1 which is open at both ends of said tube and which is connected at the upper end of return gas tube 15 by way of a control and return gas valve 16 to a line 17 leading into gas space 11.2 of the annular boiler.

Return gas tube 15 extends, sealed by way of seal 18, into the interior of filling element 1 where it is disposed on the same axis as that of the tube-like valve stem 13 or as filling element axis FA. By its lower end, which forms a return gas opening, return gas tube 15 extends beyond outlet 7, and also beyond a local tube-like extension 13.1 of valve stem 13, by a distance such that return gas tube 15 protrudes by its lower end into bottle 2 which is to be filled.

During filling, return gas tube 15 constitutes an element to control the filling height, i.e. during the filling phase or at least at the end of the filling phase, the gas which is displaced from bottle 2—that is in a sealed position against filling element 1—by the filling material entering through the opened liquid valve, flows as a return gas stream through return gas tube 15 or the latter's gas channel 15.1 and through open return gas valve 16 back into gas space 11.1 of annular boiler 11. As soon as the filling material surface rising in the bottle reaches the lower end of return gas tube 15 and the said end is immersed in the liquid filling material, the return gas stream is interrupted and the inflow of the liquid filling material is stopped as a result. By axially displacing return gas tube 15 within a short lifting range (double-ended arrow H1 in FIG. 1) it is possible to set the partial length of return gas tube 15 which protrudes into the particular bottle 2, and hence to set the filling height, with return gas tube 15 projecting beyond the lower end of extension 13.1 by a partial length in every setting made for the particular filling height (first operating state).

A ring gap or ring channel 19 which is connected at the upper end of valve stem 13 to a chamber 20 configured in housing 8 is formed between the outer surface of return gas tube 1 and the inner surface of tube-like valve stem 13. Said chamber 20 is part of a system of channels 21 which are configured in housing 8 and to which control valves 22 are assigned and which are connected to ring channels 23 and 24 that are provided on rotor 3 for all filling elements 1 of the filling machine in common. During normal filling operations, channels 21 and control valves 22 are used for different treatment phases, for example for evacuating, washing, partial preloading etc. of the particular bottle 2, and in the cleaning mode of filling machine 1, i.e. during CIP cleaning for example, serve to charge and/or discharge the liquid cleaning media which are used.

The particularity of filling element 1 is that, in the first operating state of filling element 1 or of return gas tube 15 and irrespective of the particular filling height which is set, ring channel 19 is sealed tight at its base, i.e. in the region of outlet 7 and at the lower end of tube-like extension 13.1, and in a second operating state of filling element 1 or of return gas tube 15, is open, this being effected in the illustrated embodiment by the raising of return gas tube 15.

A sealing point 25 is provided for this purpose at the lower end of the tube-like extension 13.1. Said sealing point 25 is formed by a ring seal and in the first operating state tightly encloses return gas tube 15 in every setting of said tube, and interacts with return gas tube 15 to constitute a valve arrangement 26. By way of a lifting device 27 with which for example the central filling height adjustment of all return gas tubes 15 of the filling machine is also effected, each return gas tube 15 can be raised into the second operating state by a longer lift H2 until the lower end of return gas tube 15 is located inside tube-like valve stem 13 at a considerable axial distance above sealing point 25 and such that valve arrangement 26 is opened, as shown in FIG. 3. In this second operating state, when centering tulip 6 is closed by a sealing cap or a sealing plate 28, a liquid cleaning medium used for cleaning, i.e. for example for CIP cleaning, can now also flow through ring channel 19.

The inventive embodiment guarantees a high sterility. In particular, during normal filling mode in which the respective return gas tube 15 is in its first operating state and ring channel 19 is sealed tight by valve arrangement 26 irrespective of the filling height adjustment, a contamination from ring channel 19 of those regions of filling element 1 carrying the filling material and hence also a contamination of the filling material that is fed to respective bottle 2 and/or held in annular boiler 11 is effectively prevented, i.e. an effective shielding of the filling process concerned is ensured. This also applies in particular to impurities, germs, micro-organisms such as bacteria, moulds, yeasts etc. which may penetrate into the interior of filling element 1 from the environment should seal 18 be faulty for example.

When return gas tube 15 is moved through longer lift movement H2 into the second operating position until the lower end of this return gas tube 15 is inside tube-like valve stem 13 and valve arrangement 26 is open, then ring channel 19 can be used as a process path for a changed filling method, but can in particular be sterilised and/or cleaned in the manner described above, this sterilisation and/or cleaning encompassing not just the entire range of adjustment of return gas tube 15, i.e. the entire partial length of this tube and by which return gas tube 15 protrudes into the interior of respective bottle 2 during normal filling, but also all surfaces of ring channel 19 and of sealing point 25.

Filling element 1 and/or the filling machine having such filling elements is also suitable in particular for filling wine and in this respect fully satisfies all necessary hygiene and bacterial requirements. In particular, an unwanted penetration of yeasts into the filling material concerned (e.g. wine) is effectively prevented.

Filling element 1 also makes it possible to design a computer-controlled vacuum filling system, for example for wine, spirits, edible oil, vinegar etc. with automatic filling height adjustment and only one, for example pneumatic, switching or setting function, i.e. with a setting function for a central filling height adjustment.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 Filling element -   2 Bottle -   2.1 Bottle mouth -   3 Rotor -   4 Container support -   5 Seal -   6 Centering tulip -   7 Outlet -   8 Filling element housing -   9 Liquid channel -   10 Line -   11 Annular boiler -   11.1 Liquid space -   11.2 Gas space -   12 Liquid valve or valve body -   13 Valve stem -   13.1 Tube-like extension -   14 Actuating element -   15 Return gas tube -   15.1 Gas channel -   16 Return gas valve -   17 Line -   18 Seal -   19 Ring space or ring channel -   20 Chamber -   21 Channel -   22 Control valve -   23, 24 Ring channel -   25 Ring seal -   26 Operating device -   27 Washing cap -   H1 Adjusting lift -   H2 Increased lift 

1. An apparatus for filling containers with a liquid filling material, said apparatus comprising: a filling element having a filling material delivery region with at least one outlet, a return gas tube that protrudes into a container to control filling height during filling thereof, a gap or channel at least partially surrounding the return gas tube at the filling material delivery region, at least one actuating device to adjust the height of the return gas tube, and, a valve arrangement for controlled opening and closing of the gap or channel.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve arrangement comprises the return gas tube and a valve seat, (25), and the at least one actuating device is movable with the return gas tube between a first operating state, in which the return gas tube lies in tight contact against the valve seat to close the valve arrangement, and a second operating state, in which at least one flow passage is formed between the return gas tube and the valve seat.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein in the first operating state, the return gas tube protrudes in a sealed manner out of the gap or channel that at least partially surrounds the return gas tube and through a sealing point or seal that forms the valve seat, and in the second operating state, the return gas tube is, with its tube end, axially distanced from the sealing point.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, during the first operating state, the actuating device is configured for height adjustment of the return gas tube within a first lifting range.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the actuating device is configured for moving the return gas tube into the second operating state by providing an increased second lift range that is greater than the first lift range.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gap or channel comprises a ring channel, and wherein the valve arrangement is provided at a lower end of the ring channel.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve arrangement is provided on a tube-like section that protrudes through the outlet and/or reaches into the container and that, at least over a partial length thereof, forms the gap or channel at least partially surrounding the return gas tube.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a further tube surrounding the return gas tube, and wherein the gap or channel at least partially surrounding the return gas tube is formed at least partially between an outer surface of the return gas tube and an inner surface of the further tube.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gap or channel at least partially surrounding the return gas tube discharges into a chamber configured in a filling element housing or into a channel configured for feeding or for removing a cleaning and/or sterilisation medium that flows through the gap or channel during sterilisation and/or cleaning.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rotor that can be driven to rotate about a vertical machine axis, wherein the filling element is one of a plurality of filling elements on the rotor.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the further tube surrounds the return gas tube at a distance of a tube-like valve stem of a liquid valve.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cleaning and/or sterilisation medium flows through the gap or channel during a CIP cleaning of the filling element. 